so the funny thing about people who have 100's of books their yearly reads... most likely they don't grasp the book, or reread it, or take notes, or get anything out of it. they take those numbers as a sport, and a competition.
there are definitely outliers to this, but don't let these people force yourself into rushing. that sort of competition kills learning.
if you're wanting to still get stuff out of your media, and increase your consumption rate, my best suggestion is to listen to your brain. what i mean by that is pay attention to your focus. If you feel yourself drifting, slow down. you know your mind the best out of all of us.
you can keep an obsidian vault with your notes. that's what i do. active note taking is something that really helps me grasp the content im consuming. every time something stands out to you, write it down. every once in a while, go back and expand on those blurbs. start thinking and diving into how that quote or idea makes you feel.
that's my method of consuming actively. if i'm being honest, this method has slowed down my reading numbers, but i walk away remembering a lot more.
May 3, 2025
Related Recs
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sometimes i don’t read for MONTHS. soemtiems (right now) i can read 2 novels in a day (but i am a fast reader so don’t use this as a metric). it’s ok to take it slow and read for 5 minutes a day. even if it’s not a book. like a nice article or something. get the gears turning again.
also my roommate LOVES audiobooks she’s a freak about them so that could be a nice way to read if you tend to get distracted.
but yeah i think the biggest thing is do not pressure yourself to do more than you can because it will become a chore and reading shouldn’t feel like a chore. maybe read once a week. who knows schedule it around your life
Mar 8, 2024
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not an avid reader (~3-4 books / year, trying to get that number up) but the things that have really invigorated my reading when it feels like a chore to get started:
- reading books that aren’t challenging to start off. all about love and the will to change by bell hooks were the first books i was able to successfully finish in like, years bc her writing style is very colloquial despite the subject matter being very dense. similarly, finding a fun fantasy book (or other genre fiction) to get back in the practice of turning pages and “wanting to find out what comes next” is gonna be paramount to being able to do that for books that are gonna require a little more give from you down the line (haven’t read a physical book in over six months so personally going to start legends and lattes soon to try and trick my brain into not thinking books are time-consuming and scary)
- audiobooks; for me at least reading requires too much visual processing + “sitting still” time that i can’t multi-task and read, so i have to schedule when i’m gonna try and do it (unlike tv where you can have it on in the background as you do dishes or working from home or something and can look up periodically) - taking a chunk of podcast + music time and replacing it with audiobooks has been a game changer bc i now read at the gym, at the office, and in transit <30 min long bc i have to track what station i’m at or see where i’m going
Mar 28, 2024
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As someone who just got back into reading in the last couple of years, I totally understand the frustration of having free time, a shelf full of good books and yet somehow you’re never finishing them or even picking those sweeties up! Here are some tips that helped me be a better reader:
1. Get a Goodreads account and add your friends! While the app itself is pretty clunky, i still love it for getting back into reading because it lets you set goals for yourself, find new reads and more importantly see what your friends are reading (This last one helps me stay accountable, I don’t want my book nerd friends to catch me slacking). I also love being able to write reviews of the books I’ve read.
2. Instead of watching tv or scrolling before bed, read for at least 15 minutes every night. I’ve found this goal to be helpful because it’s attainable, plus reading before bed helps me unplug and sleep better.
3. Start small with shorter or simpler books before building your way back up to longer ones. This was crucial for me coming off of a heavy scrolling/tik tok era when my attention span was especially shot.
5d ago
Top Recs from @waaxfeathers
May 9, 2025
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[REPOST- I ACCIDENTALLY POSTED AS AN ASK AND NOT A REC (o is stupid)]
i have a cool idea for creating a zine with collaboration w/pi.fyi weridos!! was inspired by people talking about a potential collaborative art/writing project with the site. I also've been wanting to create a zine that has the vibe of The Paper Rag by @/blue.jay.walker on tt/insta! Stuff about "escaping the algo" n such!!!
I have an application form set up... click the link to apply!!
private inquiry email can be obtained via pm's with me :)
May 8, 2025
sadie is 2 1/2 and too attached to humans for her own good. she would not survive in a zombie apocolypse. she knows to knock lego sets over to get attention from my fiance. she will yell when you go to the bathroom. she loves paper bags and cardboard boxes. her middle name is louise. she doesn't understand the difference between a charger and a string. she steals pastries.
i am a big fan of Sadie.
May 3, 2025